Back to the Future
13/11/2024
Ian MuirIan has worked in Technical Sales for Lighting manufacturers, often crossing the divide into fixture R&D for a number of years. His experience spans the pioneering days of LED based lighting in the Naughties to the present.
Written by Ian Muir
The development of lighting used in Film and TV production has a multifaceted history, influenced by technology, as well as the required aesthetic outcome.
Many types and methodologies of lighting utilised for periods in the last 120 years have had their time and fallen into disuse. But could it be that some elements of lighting technique once used extensively, can still be relevant when combined with other more current technologies? The incredibly soft, wrapping illumination of the incandescent Spacelight made it ubiquitous on soundstage around the world for decades. Is it possible to revive the methodology with a high output Gemini 2 1 Hard LED panel?
The History To start with, a history lesson of sorts.
Lighting has predominantly followed the technology of image capture, to complement the spectral constraints of the chosen medium. This can be charted from the use of Orthochromatic Black and White film in the early part of the last century, which is sensitive to the blue end of the spectrum, and reproduces higher wavelengths like red for, example, as black. To get the best result, Orthochromatic film was exposed with sources that provided the most appropriate wavelengths of light in relation to its sensitivity. Initially this was Mercury Vapour, then Carbon Arc as well as good old-fashioned daylight. Etymology note, daylight was often controlled using large sails, which is one possible origin for the term Gaffer as in the nautical Gaff rigged.
1922 saw the introduction by Eastman Kodak of the first motion picture Panchromatic Black and White Stock. Panchromatic film is sensitive to a much broader spectrum of light and therefore, lighting needed the spectral capacity to derive a more complete response (particularity in the mid tones), from the tonal values of the scene captured. This led to a transition to incandescent lighting (often referred to generically as Tungsten ), which offers a broader spectrum. Incandescent fixtures could also be more easily utilised with Fresnel lenses and barn doors which introduced better control, and more creativity into the process.
The introduction of Technicolor in the later part of the 30's (The Wizard of OZ being the first notable example), saw a return to Carbon Arc for reasons relating to the colour sensitivity of the process, however the technology was re-colour balanced in the 50's to improve its response to incandescents because they were more economical to use.
alt=wizzard of Oz 1939 data-nectar-img-srcset=https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/wizzard-of-Oz-1939.png 1160w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/wizzard-of-Oz-1939-300x190.png 300w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/wizzard-of-Oz-1939-1024x647.png 1024w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/wizzard-of-Oz-1939-768x485.png 768w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/wizzard-of-Oz-1939-600x379.png 600w sizes=(max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px title=The Wizard of Oz. Credit: 1939 Warner Home Video />The Wizard of Oz. Credit: 1939 Warner Home Video
Whilst this is all very interesting the question you could still be asking what is your point?
Rock and roll lighting innovations As we move into the 60's things become much more rock n roll' in terms of the technologies available and perhaps most importantly, the protagonists involved. In a nutshell this was the introduction of better colour film emulsions with much better colour rendition and contrast ratios, Colour TV, and full spectrum Tungsten Halogen lamps. And John and Benny Lee.
John and Benny, from modest backgrounds spotted the rapidly expanding opportunities in both Film and TV, founding Lee Lighting in 1961. The shape and foundations of the UK film industry has its roots in the organisation which they evolved through the 60's 70's and 80's. Lee Lighting facilitated the growth that occurred by satisfying the increasing demand for lighting, camera, grip and rigging, as well as studio space.
Importantly Lee Lighting was also responsible for lighting innovations which provided better solutions to the problems that TV and Film production faced:
The Wendy Light. Built at the behest of Cinematographer David Wendy' Watkins, best known for films such as Out of Africa (for which he won an academy award), who wanted a means of filming actors traversing a scene in moonlight with constant illumination, without resorting to hiding lights at points along their travel. The Wendy Light, still widely used today, overcame this issue.
alt= data-nectar-img-srcset=https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/david-watkin-wendy-light-in-use.jpg 1920w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/david-watkin-wendy-light-in-use-300x110.jpg 300w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/david-watkin-wendy-light-in-use-1024x374.jpg 1024w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/david-watkin-wendy-light-in-use-768x281.jpg 768w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/david-watkin-wendy-light-in-use-1536x562.jpg 1536w, https://www.litepanels.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/david-watkin-wendy-light-in-use-600x219.jpg 600w sizes=(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px title=Wendy Light. Image Credit: BSC />Wendy Light. Image Credit: BSC
Flicker free ballasts for HMI fixtures. HMI had replaced Carbon Arc as a daylight balanced fixture because of its ease of deployment and economy of use. Early variants however could produce flicker on film. Lee designed and built a balla
LINK: | https://www.litepanels.com/en/applications/back-to-the-future/... |
See more stories from litepanels |
Europe Stories
11/12/2024
Spotify's Music Editors Reveal Their Picks for the Best Songs of 2024
The work of Spotify's global editorial experts is grounded in a deep understanding of music culture. Our editors are always at the forefront of new trends, ...
11/12/2024
Tradeshows & events
Join Calrec and our distribution partners at an event near you! Here's a list of tradeshows, events and demos Calrec will be attending. If you would like to...
11/12/2024
K+ Supercharges OTT Monetization with Broadpeak's Personalized Ad Insertion
December 11, 2024 K Supercharges OTT Monetization with Broadpeak's Personalized Ad Insertion Broadpeak's broadpeak.io SaaS Platform Simplifies Ad ...
11/12/2024
Brad Turner joins EditShare as CEO
Turner is the former general manager of Harris Broadcast's media software business By Jenny Priestley Published: December 11, 2024 Turner is the forme...
11/12/2024
U.S. DoD Awards USEUCOM BPA to SES Space & Defense
Under a multi-year Blanket Purchase Agreement, SES Space & Defense will provide multi-orbit, multi-band commercial satellite services to USEUCOM leveraging an a...
11/12/2024
Kazakh Language Gets its National LLM with a Groundbreaking Partnership of Kazakh Research Institutions and VEON's QazCode
11 Dec 2024 Kazakh Language Gets its National LLM with a Groundbreaking Partner...
11/12/2024
UKTV appoints Emma Tibbetts as Director of Programming for Drama
UKTV has appointed Emma Tibbetts as its new Director of Programming for Drama, as it finalises changes to the structure of its programming team in line with pla...
11/12/2024
Sky wraps up GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title in Christmas Wrapathon event that sees the most people wrapping gifts at the same time
Sky wraps up GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title in Christmas Wrapathon event that see...
11/12/2024
G for Gladstone
Situated in the Garden Village of Port Sunlight on the Wirral, the historic Gladstone Theatre began life as an assembly and recreation hall with a platform stag...
11/12/2024
2024-12-11
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today released iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, bringing Apple Intelligence - the easy-to-use personal intelligence sy...
11/12/2024
Comedian Gearid Farrelly revealed as the third celebrity contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2025
Gear id will take to the floor with a same-sex male dance partner in new season ...
10/12/2024
ST Engineering iDirect Releases Industry-first Breakthrough Multi-Orbit Capability
Pioneering satellite communication technology supports critical GEO/NGSO trackin...
10/12/2024
EditShare Announces Brad Turner as New Chief Executive Officer
EditShare Announces Brad Turner as New Chief Executive Officer Boston, MA, 10 December 2024 - EditShare, a leading provider of collaborative workflow solution...
10/12/2024
I have a passion not only for tech, but building long-term success': Peter Bellamy joins Deltatre
TVBEurope talks to Peter Bellamy about his appointment as CRO at Deltatre, and w...
10/12/2024
Overwhelming shareholder approval for Vivendi's Canal+ spin-off
Shares in Canal will be traded in London, Paris and Amsterdam By Matthew Corrigan Published: December 10, 2024 Updated: December 11, 2024 Shares in Can...
10/12/2024
Caretta Research launches open access to Portal database
The Portal offers technology buyers and vendors insights into the broadcast and media technology, pro AV, ad tech and sports industries By Jenny Priestley Pu...
10/12/2024
VIZ Media Launches Official Online VIZ Shop for Anime and Manga Merchandise
VIZ Media Launches Official Online VIZ Shop for Anime and Manga Merchandise SAN FRANCISCO, December 10, 2024 VIZ Media is thrilled to announce the launch of ...
10/12/2024
Emilia Prez Triumphs: A Film Celebrated by Critics and Industry Professionals
Since its release, Jacques Audiard s Emilia P rez has emerged as a landmark feature, earning widespread acclaim from critics and garnering significant recogniti...
10/12/2024
Rohde & Schwarz sets new standard for network performance monitoring with R&S LCM launch
Rohde & Schwarz sets new standard for network performance monitoring with R&S LC...
10/12/2024
Stphane Bucher interview: His career and filming Gladiator 2
To coincide with the release of Gladiator 2', we wanted to highlight St phane Buchers work with director Ridley Scott. This collaboration began in 2020, fo...
10/12/2024
2024-12-10
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today launched three new live global radio stations on Apple Music. Music fans around the world can now tune in to Apple M sica Uno,...
10/12/2024
The Late Late Toy Show 2024 Rocked for those at Home and Abroad
Over 1.6 million people watched across the weekend Record breaking RT Player Toy Show Streams in Ireland and Abroad with 622,000 streams from 139 countries O...
10/12/2024
The RT Sport Manager of the Year Nominees 2024 Revealed
This Sunday night (15 December, 9.30pm), live on RT One and RT Player, Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney and Jacqui Hurley will present the RT Sport Awards 20...
10/12/2024
Actor and Mrs. Brown's Boys star Danny O'Carroll is the second celebrity to join Dancing with the Stars 2025
Actor and producer Danny O'Carroll, best known for portraying Buster Brady o...
09/12/2024
Three is the magic number
Reflecting the three stars on screen, Only Murders in the Building relies on a trio of editors to help bring the comedy and intrigue of the show to the screen ...
09/12/2024
Virtual adtech company uniqFEED appoints new COO
Patrick Hastings will assume overall responsibility for the operational delivery of client requirements globally, said the company By Jenny Priestley Publish...
09/12/2024
Imagine Communications announces Steve Reynolds as new CEO
Reynolds takes over from Tom Cotney who moves into the role of non-executive chairman of Imagines board By Jenny Priestley Published: December 9, 2024 Upda...
09/12/2024
Telebras and SES implemented more than 1,500 Internet Access Points in Brazil's Northern Region via SES-17
Collaboration under the GESAC program, a federal government initiative promoting...
09/12/2024
Emperor Cinemas to Adopt New Dolby Vision + Dolby Atmos Offering for Premium Moviegoing Experience
9 December 2024, 18:00 (PST) Emperor Cinemas to Adopt New Dolby Vision Dolby ...
09/12/2024
VEON Approves Launch of the Initial USD 30 Million Phase of its Share Buyback Program
09 Dec 2024 VEON Approves Launch of the Initial USD 30 Million Phase of its Sha...
09/12/2024
First look at Matt Smith in Sky Original The Death of Bunny Munro', coming 2025
First look at Matt Smith in Sky Original The Death of Bunny Munro', coming ...
09/12/2024
Sky U.K & Ireland and Warner Bros. Discovery announce new distribution and bundle agreement
Sky U.K & Ireland and Warner Bros. Discovery announce new distribution and bundl...
09/12/2024
Sky Arts celebrates the tenth anniversary of Landscape Artist of the Year with a 10,000 commission from the Courtauld Gallery
Sky Arts celebrates the tenth anniversary of Landscape Artist of the Year with a...
09/12/2024
Sky & NOW what to watch 2025
Sky & NOW what to watch 2025Monday 9 December 2024 It's been a busy year, but 2025 has an almighty line-up of new telly and brand-new movies coming to Sky ...
09/12/2024
Sercomm and Harmonic Announce Strategic Collaboration on DOCSIS 4.0 Unified Technology
TAIPEI, Taiwan, and SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 9, 2024 - Sercomm (TWSE: 5388) and H...
09/12/2024
Avinor selects Thales to deploy Norway's next-generation nationwide Unmanned Traffic Management system
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales and Avinor have partnered to implement No...
09/12/2024
The RT Sport Sportsperson of the Year Nominees 2024 Revealed
Next Sunday night (15 December, 9.30pm) live on RT One and RT Player, Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney and Jacqui Hurley will present the RT Sport Awards 202...
09/12/2024
The RT Sport Team of the Year Nominees 2024 Revealed
Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney and Jacqui Hurley will present the RT Sport Awards 2024 live from Studio 4 in RT at 9:30pm next Sunday 15 December. The Award...
09/12/2024
Fram New current affairs programme in Irish on RT One
T cl r nua c rsa reatha i nGaeilge ag tosn ar RT One F ram For m New current affairs programme in Irish on RT One Begins this Sunday, 8 December F r...
09/12/2024
Dancing with the Stars welcomes a new judge for 2025
Dancing with the Stars welcomes a new judge for 2025 Two-time Dancing with the Stars winner Karen Byrne to join the Dancing with the Stars judging panel in Jan...
09/12/2024
Beauty queen Aishah Akorede revealed as the first celebrity contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2025
Aishah Akorede revealed as the first celebrity contestant for Dancing with the S...
09/12/2024
RT Investigates reveals sale of unapproved US weight loss trial medication exposed in Ireland to be broadcast tonight
RT Investigates reveals sale of unapproved US weight loss trial medication expo...
09/12/2024
Dalet Named an IDC Innovator in Media and Entertainment
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced that it has been named an IDC Innovator in the IDC Innovators: ...
07/12/2024
Go Inside the Global Celebrations for Spotify's Biggest Wrapped Yet
This week saw the release of 2024 Spotify Wrapped, and we've been celebrating our biggest Wrapped to date with global influencers, fans, artists, media, and...
06/12/2024
This Year's Hottest Artists Are Sharing Which Artists Topped Their 2024 Wrapped Lists
2024 Wrapped has arrived, and millions of people around the world are sharing th...
06/12/2024
UX for Workflow Design - Doing More With Less!
Codemills approach to AI focuses on solving real-world problems through user-centric tools like Accurate.Video. By streamlining compliance, localization, and qu...
06/12/2024
ARRI unveils ALEXA 265 65mm camera
At one third of the weight of its predecessor, ALEXA 265 features a revised 65mm sensor retaining 6.5K resolution with higher dynamic range, said ARRI By Matth...
06/12/2024
Meta powers immersive revolution with James Cameron's Lightstorm Vision
The collaboration aims to increase the availability of 3D content for both creators and audience By Matthew Corrigan Published: December 6, 2024 The colla...
06/12/2024
IAN BONHTE & PETER ETTEDGUI'S AWARD-WINNING SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY, coming exclusively to Sky and NOW on 28 December
IAN BONH TE & PETER ETTEDGUI'S AWARD-WINNING SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEV...